Expanding synth leads-PX560

[Jokeyman123]

After spending considerable time with several different newer acquisitions-a Behringer Poly D, Miniak , an Alesis Fusion and a badly needing restoration Korg M3-at least newer for me-returning to the PX560 and XW-P1 as a comparison-I have noticed-the variety of synth lead tones in the PX560 is somewhat lacking IMO-as far as the existing factory tones, and compared to some pretty stiff competition.

 

Also looking over our collection of user created tones here on the forum for the PX560 which have an abundance of user edited pianos and several others, I don't see much in the way of fatter and more raw tones such as in the XW and the others I've mentioned. I am guessing more work has been done with synthesis programing with the PX5S due to its seemingly more accessible stage settings and better real-time controls.

 

Perhaps users here have done some editing for the PX560 and haven't uploaded their work-this is an area I have been working on as there is way more raw wav material in the PX560 than shows in its factory tones. The trick is-that although editing tones is somewhat limited in tone mode-you cannot select individual wavs to create an individual tone, there is no such limitation in hex mode-as any wav sample can be used in any of the 6 layers.

 

Since many of the hex layers are quite impressively creating more "soundscape" tones, I have found by simply picking different wav samples, and changing to faster attacks (many hex tones have slower attacks for a dramatic effect in bringing a particular layer in and out) can create some pretty massive "lead" and "analog" style sounds without too much additional programming. The basic (and then some) raw sine, pulse, sawtooth and other wavs typically used in so many of these recent analog "recreations" are there.

 

So despite its categorization as a stage piano, and rightfully so-and after owning mine now for several years and comparing it to several other rather impressive keyboards in their own right-i think this is an area of the PX-560 that still needs to bear much fruit. Apologies to Mike Martin who was kind enough to port some of the PX5S tones over to the PX560 uploads quite awhile ago. And finally this is not meant as a criticism-rather than an incentive that there is still much sound design capability in this "stage piano".  It took decades for many musicians and sound designers to begin to realize the huge unique sound capabilities for "FM" programming after all. I will be posting some of my newly-created PX-560 hex layer tones ASAP in our user uploads for the PX560.

[JazzyGuy]

I'm really glad to read your post.  I've been going down exactly the same path recently and have come to the same conclusion about the power in hex-layer programming.  It's a complete other keyboard buried in there.  I'm by no means a synth programmer, but I'm going to get a George Duke style lead-synth programmed if it kills me.  Someone posted a Lyle Mayes lead and it's spot-on.  Kudos!

[Brad Saucier]

I think everyone who has programmed sounds with the hex layer synth engine agrees, the potential in there to create new sounds is still vast, despite what's been done so far.  

[Jokeyman123]

Mike Martin created the Lyle Mays signature lead. I will be working on some new hex layers tomorrow. I know Casio has unveiled many new digital pianos which is their focus now, but the 560 is still looking to be a bit of their flagship stage piano/synthesizer. Especially since the MZ series is no longer available-this is the Casio that comes closest to that IMO. I missed out on the MZ, but not the 560.